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The Shakespeare Conference: SHK 13.0040 Saturday, 12 January 2002
[1] From: Anna Kamaralli <
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Date: Sunday, 06 Jan 2002 15:05:54 +1100
Subj: Re: SHK 13.0018 Pregnant Gertrude
[2] From: Edward Pixley <
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Date: Sunday, 06 Jan 2002 09:40:05 -0500
Subj: Re: SHK 13.0025 Re: Pregnant Gertrude
[1]-----------------------------------------------------------------
From: Anna Kamaralli <
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Date: Sunday, 06 Jan 2002 15:05:54 +1100
Subject: 13.0018 Pregnant Gertrude
Comment: Re: SHK 13.0018 Pregnant Gertrude
This is a superb opportunity to explore the side of Hamlet that is
concerned about his own ambition, security and fortune. If we assume
that Claudius thinks the baby is his, then Hamlet is only "nearest to
our throne" for a strictly limited time.
Plenty of Hamlet's lines demonstrate a concern with being disinherited;
not only the "popped between the election and my hopes", but also things
like his reference to the proverb (which he leaves unfinished): "while
the grass grows, the horse starves." If you were to trawl the text with
this in mind, I bet the catch would be abundant.
Anna Kamaralli
UNSW
Australia.
[2]-------------------------------------------------------------
From: Edward Pixley <
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Date: Sunday, 06 Jan 2002 09:40:05 -0500
Subject: 13.0025 Re: Pregnant Gertrude
Comment: Re: SHK 13.0025 Re: Pregnant Gertrude
> Ivan Fuller said,
>
> >Here's one for all the creative minds out there...I'll be directing
> >"Hamlet" this summer and just found out that the woman I've cast as
> >Gertrude will be 8 months pregnant when we open.
> >[...] Everyone just assumed the child was the late King's,
> >but now Hamlet is seeing Claudius being extremely affectionate, not only
> >to Gertrude, but to the baby in her womb. "You double-bastard!" thinks
> >Hamlet and his inner turmoil takes on an even greater intensity.
>
> >I'd love to hear what others think about this idea and what other
> >possible benefits or ill side-effects, might be the result.
Well, Jessica Tandy did Gertrude in a wheelchair after breaking her leg
in the opening season of the Guthrie back in 1963 -- along with Linda
Loman and Mme Ranevskaya. Live theatre poses exciting challenges -- and
surprising dimensions which are only possibilities in the text. I say,
go for it, but be prepared for further surprises, as Andy White, I
believe it was, warned about in his reply yesterday
Ed Pixley.
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